Lenovo unleashes new Windows 7 consumer laptops and Android tablets

Lenovo is the No. 2 computer maker in the world, and it’s unveiling some consumer laptops and tablets today that it hopes will push it closer to No. 1.

The Windows 7 laptops are upgradeable to Microsoft’s new Windows 8 operating system (coming Oct. 26), and they’re targeted at consumers who want affordable thin and light computers, without the extra price of Intel-based Ultrabooks (which are like Apple’s thin MacBook Air computers but Microsoft system software).

Lenovo announced the portables at the IFA conference in Berlin today. The S series is an affordable thin and light laptop. It has more variety in colors (like the pink model below), and it has metallic style. It is available in graphite gray, cotton candy pink, and crimson red. It is above a netbook in performance and is more mobile than a traditional notebook computer.

The new 14-inch models include the IdeaPad S300, S400, and S405. The S series starts at $499 and goes up from there. The laptops are less than an inch thick. It has 5 hours of battery life and weighs 4 pounds. It has options for Intel and Advanced Micro Devices processors. The laptops are available today.

The company is launching a series of new Ideatab tablet computers today that run the Android 4.0 operating system. The tablets are slimmer and feature more multimedia options at low prices.

The new models include the Ideatab S2110, A2107, and A2109. The idea is to make them just about as functional as a laptop when it comes to entertaining you on the run.

“The newest line of Ideatab products provides an option for everyone who wants to keep all of their favorite books, songs and movies at their fingertips, no matter where they go,” said Liu Jun, senior vice president and president of the mobile Internet and digital home business division. “Whether consumers crave a pocket tablet with 3G connectivity or seek a premium entertainment tablet for games and graphics, Lenovo has it, and at every price point.”

The $399 Ideatab S2110 (pictured above left) is a premium entertainment tablet with an optional detachable keyboard dock. It is 8.69 millimeters thick and weighs 580 grams. And it has a 10-inch IPS (in-plane switching) screen with a 178-degree viewing angle. It has 10 hours of battery life, but that doubles when it’s docked. It has a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with a flash, and a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera. The machine is available now.

The A2107 has a 7-inch screen and is aimed at on-the-go reading, web browsing and email. It has a 720p screen, a built-in FM radio, and Wi-Fi or 3G options. Pricing isn’t set yet, and it will be available later this year. It weighs 0.9 pound and has up to 10 hours of battery life. It has front and rear-facing cameras.

The $299 A2109 (pictured left) has a 9-inch touchscreen with high-definition 1280×800 resolution. The tablet also features Nvidia Tegra 3 processor and it enables smooth gaming and faster multitasking than the A2107. It weighs 570 grams, has front and rear-facing cameras, and options for 16GBs or 32GBs of Flash memory. It is available now.

According to IDC, Lenovo is No. 1 in commercial notebooks and all-in-one consumer desktops worldwide. It is No. 2 in worldwide notebooks and desktops, and it is No. 3 in the worldwide consumer PC market.